On Soccer: Dynamo's move was best for all

Commentary: Dynamo maneuver ranks as best for allChanging date for Earthquakes was the right call

BERNARDO FALLAS, Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Published 5:00 am, Thursday, September 18, 2008

The city of Houston made the right call in asking the Dynamo to resist moving ahead with Saturday’s home match against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Any person thinking otherwise needs to reassess his priorities.

The call to abstain from holding public functions and events went out to other entities and venues throughout the city.

With more than a million folks still without power, gas scarce and first responders spread thin all over town, now is not the best of times.

There won’t be soccer at Robertson Stadium or any other professional sports in Houston this weekend. So what?

As our region continues to recover from the blow dealt by Hurricane Ike, there are bigger things to worry about.

More time for charity

If you planned to attend the match, consider all the extra time you will have to do just one good deed.

At the risk of sounding gullible, I’d say the Dynamo’s intentions of playing as scheduled were good at heart. Really.

In their own way, it was to be their good deed.

The team thought that by going forward with the match and making it more affordable to attend, it would bring a little diversion to folks.

And Lord knows many people need one.

I recall one trip to a soccer match — my second ever — with my mother when I was 8. At one point, I asked her why she yelled only at the stadium (understand my mother never raises her voice). She told me people went to the stadium to relieve stress, to unwind a bit.

Less than a week after Ike blew through, we all feel stress, some more than others. We all could use a soccer match. Or a football or baseball game.

But there are better things to do at the moment. On Saturday, we can relieve stress by clearing our yard of dead tree limbs or helping a neighbor with that fallen fence.

Mark down Oct. 7

After playing their next four games on the road, the Dynamo will be back in town before you know it — Oct. 7 against Panamanian team San Francisco, to be exact.

You can relieve all the stress you want then.

The Dynamo can carry out their good intentions on Oct. 15, the new date for the home match against San Jose. If not earlier.

Adult tickets for the postponed game were marked down considerably, with all the proceeds to be donated.

Hopefully, the Dynamo will stick to their plan.

Hopefully, the team and the University of Houston agree again not to charge for parking, so fans can donate their $5 or $10 to relief efforts.